How to request a song through Apple's Beats 1 radio station

You can call Apple's Beats 1 radio station to request a song.
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/CNET

Apple's new Beats 1 radio station takes requests just like your average radio station.

Launched as part of Apple Music, Beats 1 is a 24/7 radio station that plays live music chosen by a team of DJs based in Los Angeles, New York and London. Joined by other select guests, the DJs will play tunes curated by "music experts," according to Apple. You don't need to subscribe to Apple Music to listen to Beats 1. And you can listen to it from your computer via iTunes or from your iOS device.

Yes, that sounds cool, especially since it's free and doesn't require an Apple Music subscription. But what if Beats' type of music isn't up your alley? Well, you can dial in to a special number and ask the station to play a tune you want to hear. It's just like the request line on a conventional radio station. So how does it work?

That sounds easy enough. But how do you know if and when your requested song will be played?

CNET asked Apple that very question and will update the story with any response. But it appears that DJ Travis Mills is hosting a a special requests program called simply "Requests," as revealed in a tweet posted on Tuesday. The show goes on the air at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET in the US, so your requested song hopefully will get some playtime during that broadcast.